


folie à deux

by valediction



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Gen, ao3's tagging system continues to confound me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 17:39:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9196445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valediction/pseuds/valediction
Summary: Ludger believes many things about his brother-- even when he doesn't know what to believe-- whether in spite or faith.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Old ficlet, short, pretentious, and to the point, spruced up hardly. Transplanted from tumblr.

‘Julius can take care of himself,’ was the mantra Ludger repeated when asked, and he was asked surprisingly often. 'Julius is fine, I’m sure of it.’ If he wanted to keep things from Ludger then fine, he could let his wayward older brother do as he pleased and leave him in the dark. At least Bisley kept him up to speed on what was going on, as he’d said to him in another world’s Nia Khera. Julius always thought he knew best. His older brother’s tendency to make decisions for him had been a somewhat annoying trait back when they’d simply been two brothers cohabiting a single apartment. Now it served to feed a resentment that Ludger couldn’t quite quash.

And wasn’t he justified in that? In being unhappy with the lack of truths between them? He loved his brother, but he couldn’t be blamed when his words grew harsh and developed edges they hadn’t possessed before as the silence between them otherwise stretched on. If it were up to him, he’d corner his brother somewhere and shake him until the answers to all his questions came out into the open, because while Bisley told him things Ludger would still be naive to trust everything the CEO said at face value.

But it wasn’t up to him, Julius remained elusive, and so Ludger was left chasing a trail that led to nowhere but more questions, more doubt, and an insufferably satisfied Rideaux.

The dark thing in the pit of his stomach grew. Used. _Used._

Not seeing Julius– even once– between then and the collection of the final Waymarker allowed it to fester.

He didn't doubt that his brother cared, even with the lack of contact. His brother loved him, he was sure.

What Ludger wasn’t sure of anymore was whether he could give his brother the same blind trust he had in the past.

That was fine. Julius could take care of himself.

That truth proved to be as false as the rest of the illusions the Trial had shattered for him. Canaan had appeared, its ominous silhouette hanging across the sky. In the same instant the Great Spirit of Time had also appeared before them. 

And

he had Julius.

Ludger was reminded unwillingly of a ragdoll. Hanging limply from the spirit’s outstretched claw, Julius… looked awful. He couldn’t see any visible wounds but his brother’s face was bloodless, and the way his body hung completely slack was. Too lifeless.

When the Spirit tossed Julius to the ground Ludger had to stop himself from rushing straight over. _Spirits_ , was it possible for a person to be that broken? He wouldn’t put it past the Spirit to deliver a corpse to make a point. The relief that took him when Julius flinched away from Chronos and told him to run was all encompassing, but it quickly morphed into a molten sort of anger. Anger at the Spirit, anger at his brother, anger at the very idea that he’d leave Julius there. What did Julius think, that because _he_ couldn’t stand up to Chronos Ludger had no chance?

Like hell he was running.

And yet, even then, Julius still insisted on protecting him. He was gone before Ludger even had a chance to say anything to him, and his anger could do nothing but evaporate with nothing to focus itself on.

…Julius could take care of himself, but Ludger wasn’t sure how much he could bring himself to believe that, given his brother’s condition when he’d vanished.

\---

_Ludger,_

_I’m sorry for how impersonal this is, but I’m afraid there isn’t much time. Bisley has the Key, and with Elle in the palm of his hands there’s only one option left that will allow you to reach Canaan and catch up to him._

_Come to Rieze Harbour in Marksburg, the same place the Waymarkers were assembled. Bisley knows the secret to entering Canaan, but he’s not the only one. I’ll arrange it so things are ready for when you get there, but I don’t recommend that you take too long, as I don’t know how long the connection will last, and that one shot is all we’ll have._

_I won’t be there to meet you when you arrive at Marksburg, I’m afraid. Circumstances require my presence elsewhere, but know this: ~~little bro–~~ Ludger, I believe in you. If I’ve given you cause to doubt that, then I’m clearing it up now. I’ve watched you as you took on the burden of Origin’s Trial, and from what I’ve seen… I know you’ll do the right thing._

_I’m leaving you my watch with this letter. Hopefully it’ll be able to help you out where I can’t. Take care of it for me._

...His hands fist around the paper, multiple times, before releasing.

He’s glad to have the letter. He really is. The letter and GHS call both, as short as the latter was.

This does not mean that Ludger is at ease. Julius is still being vague and evasive even now. And there’s something in the slant of his words on the paper, warm as they are and almost like how they used to be when Julius was apologising to a much younger Ludger for having to leave for work–

The watch looks a little worse for wear. He knows how diligently his brother maintains it. It was pristine before the incident on the Striborg. His own watch still looks as bright as it did then, even through all the battles they’ve been through. The silver watch shouldn’t have tarnished so quickly.

There isn’t time to mull on it.

They get to Marksburg. The bridge connecting the worlds itself is scarce, but the Seahaven is completely devoid of people. Many didn’t want to chance staying in the area with the unexplained appearance of Canaan in the sky. That's what Ludger figures, anyway, with the lack of any official evacuation.

They reach the location Julius told them to go to, and there is no-thing and no-one there. Not at first, at least. Muzet picks up on it before the rest of them do.

(He can’t be sure, but he thinks that she might have swallowed down a gasp.)

It’s only a faint few motes of light at first. Softly pulsing, before they gather and clump and suddenly the space in front of them is almost too bright to look at.

Then, curling itself into existence where the light was is a gate formed of interlocking gears.

(It feels familiar, he thinks, though he can't place why.)

They don't know what to make of it at first, but Julius had said that they shouldn't waste time. Muzet confirms for them that what lies in front of them is a dimensional rift. It _will_ take them to Canaan, she says.

When he steps through the portal he shivers. His unease hasn’t left him, and maybe it’s just the miasma, but he can’t help but feel he’s missing something. Lost it.

He learns what it is when they catch up to Bisley. The silver watch is lost, crushed underfoot, but Ludger is in little state to react.

And so the last of his illusions falls entirely to pieces.

**Author's Note:**

> Spurred on by too much time staring at a soul bridge and some pixiv art. In a game where choices are purported to matter, it’s interesting how little they actually affect the story. Really, you did better than just unlocking extra short scenes in Symphonia. Does anyone remember the various mildly different- but alternatively so- scenes in Symphonia? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Meanwhile, Xillia 2 just tacks on things that either feel like they should've been part of the scene in the first place, or excised entirely.
> 
> If your choices and affection levels actually affected events… well, this might just be the version of chapter 15 you’d be locked into if your Julius relationship was poor. 'Poor', I say, though really... But of course, this does mean you pick the more hurtful options throughout the game.


End file.
